Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Changchun Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Changchun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $721 in Changchun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,112 in Changchun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,503 in Changchun.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 206% more expensive than Changchun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Changchun is 46% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$2.72 ¥18.38

484.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$20.09 ¥136

222.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$4.76 ¥32.21

120.80%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.67 ¥18.04

7.49%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 €1.93

$0.46 ¥3.09

386.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.27 ¥1.81

455.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$0.86 ¥5.80

305.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.04 ¥13.80

90.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.94 ¥13.12

-41.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.23 ¥8.31

42.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.21 ¥8.20

45.45%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.06 ¥7.20

203.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$13.07 ¥88.4

3.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$3.51 ¥23.70

125.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$8.61 ¥58.2

84.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.45 ¥9.79

59.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.06 ¥7.14

60.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.83 ¥5.58

142.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.35 ¥9.15

82.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.68 ¥4.57

170.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.62 ¥4.16

222.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.44 ¥2.98

338.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.51 ¥3.45

54.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$3.15 ¥21.31

109.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$12.02 ¥81.3

-52.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$0.72 ¥4.89

90.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$0.96 ¥6.49

209.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.29 ¥1.99

717.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$16.85 ¥114

170.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.09 ¥7.34

293.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.26 ¥1.75

215.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$3.29 ¥22.25

456.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.13 ¥7.67

82.30%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.3K €29.5K

$18.3K ¥123.9K

87.09%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$39.3K €33.8K

$19.2K ¥129.8K

104.63%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$148 €127

$41.43 ¥280

256.92%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$20.52 €17.65

$14.73 ¥99.6

39.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$14.13 ¥95.6

180.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$42.61 ¥288

12.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$3.79 ¥25.60

399.21%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$4.95 ¥33.44

85.45%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$614 €528

$280 ¥1,891

119.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$8,289 ¥56.1K

93.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$27.97 ¥189

274.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$31.03 ¥210

35.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$73.2 ¥495

28.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$79.4 ¥537

50.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$275 ¥1,863

490.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$228 ¥1,539

451.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$599 ¥4,048

406.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$365 ¥2,466

453.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$1,804 ¥12.2K

332.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$1,125 ¥7,607

279.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$962 ¥6,504

66.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

5.27

-27.70%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Changchun: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $275 in Changchun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 67% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $20.00 in Changchun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $188 per month, with Changchun cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Lisbon vs Changchun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Changchun is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 206% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Lisbon pays 67% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $275 in Changchun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Changchun runs roughly 170% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $280 in Changchun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $721 in Changchun versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Changchun but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Changchun the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Changchun is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Changchun are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Changchun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 206% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.